Bottle cap lifter



F. H. WHITELEY 2,516,439

BOTTLE CAP LIFTER July 25, 1950 Filed Sept. 9, 1946 Patented July 25, 1950 UNITED: STA

ias PATENT oF i-cE 40mins (c1. 81--3.46)

This invention relates to tools for removing closures from the mouth oireceptacles and-Qparticularly to the so-called crown type of ca-pstfor bottles, of .thekind usually-madeof tinnediron or'other-suitablematerial and having a corrugated edge'or annular skirt that is crimpled over the mouth of the bottle in amannerwell known in theart.

It is well known that most 'bottlesnow in use tocontain carbonated "beverages particularly, have anannular head or continuous, annular, external shoulder-formed thereon, at thefneckand near the open mouth thereof, and: that this shoul der is spaced from the inner edge ofthe 'skirtof the crown cap when the same -is-appliedi to the bottle and crimpled in place. It is-theprimary object-of this invention to provide a'bottlecap remover especially adapted for use on bottles constructed in the aforesaid manner.

An'important obj ect'of this-invention is to provide a bottle-cap remover having a body provided with a portion engageable with the shoulder of a bottle, formed to present a fulcrum, anda portion disposed between the cap and the shoulder, ongageable with the inner edge of thecaplto dislodge thesame as force is'applied toone'endiofthebody and as the fulcrum rests on the shoulder'of the bottle.

Moreispecifioally,'this invention providsa bot"- tlecap remover in the nature of a body formed from'an initially fiat sheet of material and'having a slot formed therein of a size permitting the: same torbe moved over the cap into operative position where a portion ofthe-walls 'forming'the slot is disposed between the cap and'the bottle-shoulder, and having a pair of inwardly eXtending-sali'ents or ears to present a fulcrum on the-shoulder as the remover is moved inwardly toward'the bottle for 'di'slodging the cap. v

Other objects of 'thisinvention include the specific manner of forming the bottle cap remover, the manner of forming the slotted portion thereof to present clearance as the same is moved about he bottle shoulder, and the manner in which the remover is associated with the conventional ele-- ments of the well-known crown caps andthe shouldered bottle, all of which specific'objects will be made clear or become apparent during the course of the following specification, referrin to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a bottle cap remover made'in accordance with my'present invention, illustrating a-bottle cap and the'neck of "a bottle in dotted lines, in association'with theremover.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view-of a portion of the neck of a bottle and theeremover shown in Fig. 1. V

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a bottle cap remover illustrating a modified form thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the remover illustrated-in Fig; 3, showing the same; in association with a portion of a bottle neck and the cap.

It is possible to embody the instant invention in bottle cap. removers having a large number of forms;-and therefore, two ways of constructingthe remover are herewith illustrated.

IniFigs. Land-2, the closure isin the form of a-conventionalcrown cap, broadly designated by the numeral in, having as a-- componentspart thereof, adepending skirt [4 extending, laterally from the upper face thereof, that clampingly engages thesidespf a'bottle l6 whenin-operative position. As iswell -known in the-art, the'skirt M of :capj l.0-.is--crimpled through theemployment of a" die-randforced tightly against the: bottlenear the mouth thereof.-

The'bottlel6 =ch'osen for illustration, has a continuous, external, annular beador-'shoulder l 8-at the :neck thereof and near-its open-mouth. This -type 'of :bottle 'is now well known in the art, and is-the most commonly usedbottle on the market; particularly for suchdiquids -as carbonated-beverages;soft drinks-of :all kinds, and many kinds-of al'cohoiic beverages. This shoulder is spaeed'from the-uppermost edge'of thebottle B rforming the open mouth thereof and the upper' 'edge thereof is spaced from thelowerfedge ofi-skirt M when cap ii! is'in place.

The -cap remover constituting thesubjeet matter 'of thi's zinvention is" designed to be inserted inith'is space between skirt M -and'shouldenlll, comprisesa body broadly designated by the numeral 2t. This 'body" 20 isformed by'stamping the same from an initially. flat sheet ofmaterial, the'thicknesswher'eof is preferably the same as the distance between the lower edge of skirt M and the upper edge of shoulder l8 for more ef fective operation of the remover.

When formed as illustrated in Fig. 1, body- 20 has a handle-portion or grip 22 atone end thereof; and is provided with an elongated slot or opening 24 extending from grip 22 to a point near the opposite end of body 29. A fulcrum is established by'a pair of salients or ears 2 5 spaced from this opposite end of'body 20, which salientszfi extend inwardly into the slot 24 in substantially diametrically opposed relation;

'A'cap engaging portion 28 is arcuate toconformiwith the contour of skirt [4. This portion 26' forms said opposite end of body 20 and joins'thesalien'ts '26. Portion 28 also forms a part ofthe walls of body 20 which defines slot Mend merges into the-salients 26 as the end of slot24 adjacentto'grip'n is approached.

The distance across slot 24 adjacent to salientsfit and opposedto"the'portion 23 1s greater than the diameter of the cap li ',permitting the remover .to as slipped over 'th e cap llF-to' oper- 3 underlies a portion of skirt l4 and salients 26 rest on shoulder I8. It is clear therefore, as inward pressure is exerted on grip 22, an outward force will ,be ,applied to the cap H1 until the same is dislodged,

It is notable also that that portion of slot 24 between salients 26 and grip 22 is also wide enough to clear shoulder l8 as grip 22 is moved inwardly, thereby preventing the remover from slipping laterally on shoulder 18 to a point where portion 28 is out of engagement with skirt M.

In the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a body 50 has a grip 52, from which projects a pair of fingers 54, forming a slot 56. Fingers 54 terminate in a pair of spaced-apart ends 58 to form a cap engaging portion, the distance therebetween being less than the diameter of both the skirt 60 of a, cap 52, and the diameter of shoulder 54 of'bottle 86. In other words, the ends 58 of fingers 54 are spaced-apart distance slightly greater than the diameter of that part of the neck of bottle 66 between cap 62 and the shoulder 54 to permit the same to partially circumscribe the bottle when in operative position.

As in the type of remover described and shown in Figs; 1 and 2, body 50 has a pair of inwardly extending salients 88, the distance therebetween in this case however, being less than the diameter of bottle 66 above shoulder 64. Thus, as the remover is moved to operative position, salients 68 serve not only as a fulcrum to facilitate the prying action against cap 62, but limit movement of the fingers 54 around bottle 66. As grip 52 is moved inwardly toward bottle 66, slot 56 will clear shoulder 64, since here again, the width of slot 56 between salients 68 and grip 52 is greater than the diameter of shoulder 64.

When either of the two forms of my invention is employed in the manner herein described, the crown cap is easily removed from the bottle with a minimum of pressure on the grip end of the remover because of the fulcrum established by the inwardly extending salients, and no damage is caused to the cap. Thus, the cap may be reused to close the bottle by simply pressing the same into place, whereby any contents remaining in the bottle will be sealed against entering air, substantially as effectively as is true on first use of the cap.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. A cap remover for bottles having an annular, external shoulder adjacent the mouth thereof and wherein the shoulder is in opposed, spaced relation with the inner edge of the cap, said remover comprising a body having a grip at one end thereof; a fulcrum spaced inwardly from the opposite end of the body and formed to rest upon the shoulder when in an operative position; and a portion at the said opposite end of the body disposed beneath the inner edge of the cap when the fulcrum is resting on said shoulder, whereby disiodging outward force is applied to the cap when inward pressure is exerted upon the said grip, said fulcrum including a pair of substantiallydiametrically opposed salients having the cap engaging portion between the proximal end of the body and the salients, the distance between said salients being greater than the diameter of that portion of the bottle between the cap and said shoulder.

2. A cap remover for bottles having an annular,

4 external shoulder adjacent the mouth thereof and wherein the shoulder is in opposed, spaced relation with the inner edge of the cap, said remover comprising a body having a grip at one end thereof; a fulcrum spaced inwardly from the opposite end of the body and formed to rest upon the shoulder when in an operative position; and a portion at the said opposite end of the body disposed beneath the inner edge of the cap when the fulcrum is resting on said shoulder, whereby dislodging outward force is applied to the cap when inward pressure is exerted upon the said grip, said body having a slot formed therein, said fulcrum including a pair of opposed salients extending inwardly into said slot, said cap engaging portion forming a part of the walls of said slot adjacent said salients,

3. A cap remover for bottles having an annular, external shoulder adjacent the mouth thereof and wherein the shoulder is in opposed, spaced relation with the inner edge of the cap, said remover comprising a body having a grip at one end thereof; a fulcrum spaced inwardly from the 0pposite end of the body and formed to rest upon the shoulder when in an operative position; and a portion at the said opposite end of the body disposed beneath the inner edge of the cap when the fulcrum is resting on said shoulder, whereby dislodging outward force is applied to the cap when inward pressure is exerted upon the said grip, said body having a slot formed therein, said fulcrum including a pair of opposed salients extending inwardly into said slot, the width of a portion of said slot disposed inwardly from said salients being wider than the diameter of said shoulder whereby the body partially circumscribes the shoulder when inward pressure is exerted upon the grip.

4. A cap remover for bottles having an annular, external shoulder adjacent the mouth thereof and wherein the shoulder is in opposed, spaced relation with the inner edge of the cap, said remover comprising a body having a grip at one end thereof and an elongated slot spaced inwardly from the opposite end thereof, that portion of the body forming one end of the slot adjacent said opposite end of the body being arcuate and disposed beneath the inner edge of the cap when in an operative position, said arcuate portion terminating in a pair of opposed salients intermediate the ends of said slot, the distance between said salients being less than the diameter of said shoulder to form a fulcrum resting on said shoulder when thesaid arcuate portion is the operative position, whereby dislodging outward force is applied to the cap when inward pressure is exerted upon the said grip.

FRED H. WHITELEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Denmark Dec, 12, 19 29 

